U.S. Attorney Resigns Amid Pressure to Investigate New York AG Letitia James
A U.S. attorney has resigned following reported pressure from former President Donald Trump to pursue a criminal investigation into New York Attorney General letitia James. The resignation is part of a broader shakeup within the Justice Department impacting prosecutors connected to investigations involving Trump.
The attorney’s departure stems from a probe initiated by Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi at the request of Federal Housing Finance Agency Director William Pulte, who alleged James falsified bank adn property records related to a Virginia home. Pulte claimed James may have falsely listed the property as her primary residence to secure lower interest rates. James’s attorney, Kevin lowell, stated records demonstrate the allegation is unfounded, attributing the issue to a “mistakenly stated” power-of-attorney form and clarifying correspondence sent to a mortgage broker confirming the property woudl not be her primary residence.
The developments coincide with the dismissal of prosecutors who worked on Special Counsel Jack Smith’s investigation into Trump, and also Maurene Comey, a federal prosecutor in new York and the daughter of former FBI Director James Comey, who was fired by Trump during the Russia election interference investigation.Prior to joining the Department of Justice, Jonathan Gross, another impacted attorney, was a vocal advocate for defendants charged in connection with the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.
the timing of these actions raises concerns about potential political interference within the Justice Department, particularly as Trump faces multiple legal challenges. james has been a prominent critic of Trump and lead a civil lawsuit alleging he fraudulently inflated the value of his assets. A judge ruled against Trump in that case, ordering him to pay over $350 million in penalties.
